LAWRENCE — Police went undercover on Methuen Street yesterday in an attempt to catch whoever has been breaking into cars in the neighborhood.
Their efforts paid off with the arrest of Jose Rivera, 25, of 41 Warren St., who was stopped as he walked away from a parked car with its alarm blaring, police said.
Officer Francisco Guevara Jr. was told a man was loitering in the area and went there to find Rivera trying to open a car door, police said. As the car alarm sounded, Guevara parked his unmarked car and walked back to Methuen Street. Rivera was still by the car. Guevara stopped him and called for backup.
Guevara saw that the car window was broken and he found two screwdrivers in Rivera's pocket. Rivera also had a TomTom GPS with a base and charging cord tucked into his pants, police said.
Police charged Rivera with breaking and entering a vehicle in the daytime with intent to commit a felony, larceny over $250, possession of burglary tools, and malicious damage to property over $250.
The following were taken from area police logs for Wednesday:
Methuen
Attempted burglary: 50 Lawrence St., 12:09 a.m.
Vandalism: 63 Reservoir St., 9:50 a.m.
Car break: 20 Camden St., 10:18 a.m.
Vandalism: 26 Huntington Ave., 10:30 a.m.
Vandalism: 50 Howe St., 10:55 a.m.
Car break: 133 Pelham St., 3:35 p.m.
North Andover
Car crash: 177 Salem St., car into a pole, no injuries, 2:51 a.m.
Vandalism: 369 Waverley Road, 9:47 a.m.
Andover
Car break: Old River Road, 7:30 a.m.
Animal complaint: Route 125 and Gould Road, turkeys in the road, 9:45 a.m.
Arrest: Gary Matos, 43, 228 Andover St., possession of cocaine, subsequent offense, 228 Andover St., 11:40 a.m.
Theft: Central Street, 2:30 p.m.
Theft: Bartlet Street, 3:10 p.m.
Arrest: A 14-year-old Andover boy, assault and battery on a household member, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, 376 S. Main St., 5:34 p.m.
Lawrence
Car break: 23 Summer St., 1:07 a.m.
Theft: 563 Haverhill St., 5:15 a.m.
Burglary: 599 Canal St., 9 a.m.
Burglary: 218 Broadway, 10:33 a.m.
Car break: 22 Saunders St., 10:52 a.m.
Car crash: 210 Bruce St., no injuries, 11:38 a.m.
Car break: 439 S. Union St., 2:03 p.m.
Car theft: 227 Park St., 2:14 p.m.
Burglary: 10 Grafton St., 2:25 p.m.
Car theft: 40 Lawrence St., 2:59 p.m.
Car crash: 50 Prospect St., 3:12 p.m.
Vandalism: 384 Salem St., 3:52 p.m.
Vandalism: 195 Bailey St., 5:27 p.m.
Arrest: Luis Hernandez Jr., 30, 81 Farley St., possession of cocaine, failure to yield, Osgood and Andover streets, 5:28 p.m.
Car crash: Brook and Newbury streets, no injuries, 5:53 p.m.
Burglary: 621 Haverhill St., 5:57 p.m.
Arrest: Nicholas Garcia, 49, 65 Shawsheen Road, trafficking heroin over 200 grams, distribution of heroin, Bailey and Osgood streets, 6:28 p.m.
Arrest: Miguel Fantuzzi, 52, 82 Haverhill St., resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, 92 Haverhill St., 8:18 p.m.
Arrest: Angel Reyes Jr., Hampton, Va., driving after revocation, no inspection sticker, possession of a false or stolen inspection sticker, 403 Essex St., 9:21 p.m.
Arrest: Rafael Alvarez, 45, 16 Kendall St., driving under the influence of alcohol, assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, 16 Kendall St., 9:22 p.m.
Burglary: 37 Cornish St., 10:05 p.m.
Arrest: Ceballos Morales, 19, 124 Trenton St., disorderly conduct, 124 Trenton St., 11:01 p.m.
Arrest: Marcus Hierro, 19, 60 Crescent St., disorderly conduct, Crescent Street, 11:09 p.m.
